Homemade Baking Powder

  Make your own baking powder.      

Ever find yourself in the middle of a baking project, only to find that you're missing an ingredient that you consider a staple?... you never even checked to see if there was any... you just assumed it would be there?

Well, I have! Many times. I check for odd ingredients but not the common ones. It was one of those times that I went to grab my baking powder and there wasn't enough to do the recipe. So I decided to look on the internet. There were actually many different recipes, with different ratios of the key ingredients. This is the one I adopted:

1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Makes: 1 Tablespoon

It only takes a few ingredients.

Combine. Use immediately.

If you plan to make more than you need and want to store any remainder for future use, add:

Make sure to mix well. Add cornstarch to store.

1 teaspoon corn starch to the original mixture. This will help absorb any moisture present and keep the powder from reacting before you need it. Store in an air-tight container.

TIP: Did you know that most commercial baking powders contain aluminum? Sodium aluminum sulfate, to be exact. Make your own baking powder and keep your baked goods aluminum-free.

Breakfast Croissants

Quick & easy treat for the whole family.

Around our house, breakfast is a favorite. We love breakfast food..biscuits with sausage gravy, orange-cranberry pancakes, fried potatoes, breakfast burritos, waffles....You get my point, right? We LOVE breakfast food. I didn't even start on breakfast breads... donuts, coffee cake, danish...and so on. Speaking of danish, my daughter Laurel just made some awesome danish a few days ago and posted the recipe on her blog: CaliforniaLaurel.blogspot.com. You can view the recipe and pictures here.

Of course, we have breakfast for dinner as often as possible. We even go out for breakfast late at night. (I know we aren't the only people who do this or Denneys wouldn't have a 24 hour breakfast menu!)

So with all that said, here it is Valentines Day. I had to run to the store early this morning because we had no sugar for our coffee! So I thought of grabbing some type of fresh-baked donut or something for my husband to get this special day started off right. (He's a great fan of all things 'pastry') Then I remembered our croissant trick...buy a roll of crescent rolls and add a few goodies and...Wa-LA! Fresh, hot, delicious pastry...for a fraction of the cost! Here are the details:

STEP 1: Buy crescent rolls. Mine were $1.98 on sale.






On the left, raspberry jam. On the right, Nutella.

          
             STEP 2: Before rolling, add yummy stuff.





These are the only savory croissants I made.  They have
brown-sugar ham & cheddar cheese.

  



These actually got more yummy stuff on top before
 the went into the oven.

  
            STEP 3: Bake according to package directions.


      STEP 4: Once out of the oven, add more yummy stuff.




The lemon drizzle on the left, and the plain drizzle on the right,.. just
to give me something to help the almonds stick.

 



On the ham & cheese I sprinkled a few bits of shredded cheese. On the
'cinnabon' I had smeared butter & cream cheese inside. The I had sprinkled
the inside as well as the outside with cinnamon & sugar.

 

    STEP 5: Eat. (At this point, they can't help it... they're yummy!!)




These actually didn't need this since there were only a few different flavors,
but I like to scribble across my parchment what flavor they are..just in case.

                            

Yummy White-Chocolate Dipped Oreos

This is one of those recipes that are so easy, but turn out so yummy! I usually buy these around Christmas time, then one year we decided to try and make our own. They turned out great and we've been making them ever since. My daughter, Abby, actually made this batch and decorated them for her Valentine....

All you need is a bag of Oreos and a 12 ounce bag of white chocolate chips.


Heat the white-chocolate chips in the microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted.




Use a second fork to help slide the cookie onto the tray.



A finished tray of dipped Oreos.



Abby had fun decorating with a few different motifs.



How to Clean a Coffee Pot

My favorite coffee mug is no
longer with us... :(

     To keep my coffee pot, or carafe, clean and fresh, I like to use the following quick-clean method.

      Not only will the carafe look great, but the coffee itself will have a fresher taste...and nobody likes stale tasting coffee!

 STEP 1: Pour just enough salt into your coffee pot to cover the bottom of the pot.

 STEP 2: Add a few ice cubes. Shake & swirl. Move the pot in a circular motion to move the ice & salt around the bottom. 
STEP 3: Clean the pot and filter basket with warm, soapy water before using. Rinse thoroughly.

      

         
For a quick & easy method to clean your coffee maker, click here.

How to Clean a Coffee Maker



Yummy coffee starts with a clean machine.


Cleaning our coffee carafe is something we think about more often than our coffee maker. The carafe is seen more often....every time we pour a cup of coffee!

But the coffee maker isn't thought of as often. Yet, if the coffee maker isn't clean it can cause the coffee to taste badly or can cause the machine itself to function inadequately. Here's an inexpensive and chemical-free method, with a common household item! White vinegar. So let's get started!



Vinegar can be purchased at the grocery store.

STEP 1: Fill the carafe with one part white vinegar to two parts water.

STEP 2: Pour the vinegar & water solution into the coffee makers reservoir and turn the maker on to brew a pot.

STEP 3: Once the brewing cycle is complete, shut off the coffee maker and allow the vinegar solution to sit in the carafe for about 15 minutes. Dump water.

STEP 4: Using fresh water, fill the carafe again. Pour this water into the reservoir and 'brew' this water only through the coffee maker. (No vinegar solution) Shut off the coffee maker again and let the pot cool about 15 minutes.



I have a Gevalia coffee maker. Free with membership.


STEP 5: Repeat step 4, 'brewing' water only through the machine. Allow to cool 15 minutes before discarding water.



STEP 6: Clean the carafe by following the directions here.

Apron for Valentines Day

I had so much fun making this for my daughter, Abby.
The pic on the left shows the bodice better while
the pic on the right shows off the waistband.

I bought each of my daughters an apron a few years ago and I still love the design. My daughter, Abby, has outgrown hers since it was a childs size. I saw these cute fabrics and decided to make her a new one for Valentines Day.

STEP 1: I cut the bodice as two triangle shaped pieces. The dark ruffle going across the front must be added first, then attach the ruffle to the small area on the top right. Then follow the stitching down the front to attach the two triangles to each other. Finish the edges of the two triangle pieces with a small turned hem on each side. Next I cut out the two neck ties. (2" wide x 20" wide. Cut 2) With right sides together sew one short end & down the long side. Turn right side out, iron, topstitch along edges. Sew one tie to each triangle top.

STEP 2: Next I worked on the waistband. First the left and right ties must be sewn, turned, pressed and top-stitched before the waistband is sewn. (2 1/2" wide x 25" long. Cut 4.) Then I cut the two pieces which make up the waistband, which are cut exactly the same and later will be sewn together as the front and back of the waist. (3" wide x 17" long. Cut 2.) I placed the waist pieces with right sides together and stitched only the left and right sides first, making sure the ties are sewn in at the left and right sides. Set aside.

STEP 3: Now I needed to cut out the top ruffle. (7 1/2" wide x 38" long. Cut 1 for top ruffle.) Then I sewed a small hem up the two sides and along the bottom. I ran a gathering stitch across the top, gathered the ruffle until it was the same width as the front of the waistband. With right sides together, I sewed this top ruffle to the front waistband piece. Now I cut out the 'under' layer. (12" wide x 20" long. Cut 1.) I sewed up the left & right sides with a small hem. Next I sewed the under layer to the front waistband, with the right side out, directly behind the top ruffle. (It will drape down behind the top ruffle, only stitched to the top ruffle at the waistband.)

STEP 4: Next, I cut out the second ruffle. (7 1/2" wide x 38" long. Cut 1 for second ruffle.) I sewed up all four sides with a small hem. I ran a gathering stitch about one inch from the top, pulling up the gathers to fit the width of the under layer. I then sewed it to the front of the 'under' layer, positioning it just where the top ruffle ends.

STEP 5: Now I cut out the bottom ruffle. (7 1/2" wide x 38" long. Cut 1 for bottom ruffle.) I sewed a small hem up the two sides and along the bottom. I ran a gathering stitch along the top raw edge, pulled up the gathers to fit the width of the under layer. Then I sewed the bottom layer to the very bottom of the 'under' layer, with right sides together.

STEP 6: Lastly, I went back to finish the waistband. If I typed the previous instructions correctly, the two waistband pieces haven't been sewn to each other at the bottom. Turn and press these bottom edges. Sew together by topstitching on the outside front of the waistband.

Napkin Rings for Valentines Day

Easy 'Conversation Hearts' napkin ring....

While recently shopping at Cost Plus, my husband and I purchased some red plates and bowls....just two of each, for the two of us. (Ya know,..for romantic meals) I picked out some different cloth napkins to go with them but couldn't find any napkin rings especially for Valentines Day.

I gave it some thought. What could I do that would be quick and easy...and fun? (not to mention cute & inexpensive) Well, the following is what I came up with...

What you'll need:

Plastic shower curtain rings. (I got these @ Target, 12 for under $1.50)
Hearts for decorating the rings. (I found these in the Dollar Spot @ Target)
Glue gun
Red Sharpie marker

STEP 1: The first thing I did was tear out the red ribbon that was attached to each heart.


STEP 2: Next I used the Sharpie marker to write sayings you might find on a conversation heart.



STEP 3: Now I hot-glued a bead to the top of each heart, to cover up the hole left there.



STEP 4: Lastly, I hot-glued the hearts to each shower ring. I divided mine up since there were only a few green and blue hearts. I didn't want to end up with, say, all pink hearts at the end.